United Christian Hospital announces a patient tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for United Christian Hospital (UCH) made the following announcement today (January 3) concerning a patient preliminarily tested positive to COVID-19:
      
     A 69-year-old male patient was admitted to UCH Accident and Emergency Department (AED) on January 2 due to abdominal pain, he did not have fever and other respiratory symptoms. Medical staff arranged admission screening COVID-19 test for the patient according to established procedures and he was transferred to surgical ward for further treatment. His COVID-19 test result today was preliminary positive. He was then transferred to isolation ward for further treatment with stable condition.
      
     The hospital's infection control team conducted contact tracing accordingly. As the index patient did not wear his surgical mask properly, four other patients in the surgical ward are classified as close contacts and will be quarantined for 14 days. Hospital has arranged viral tests for them and all of them are tested negative.
      
     All staff members working in AED and the ward concerned were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment in accordance with infection control guidelines. No aerosol generating procedures had been performed during that period. Therefore, none of the staff members is being classified as close contacts so far, while contact tracing is still underway.
      
     The hospital has arranged thorough cleansing and disinfection of the areas in AED and the ward concerned. UCH will continue to closely monitor the health condition of our staff and patients and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection about the latest situation.